Box for receiving and storing layers of cartons



H. w. REHR 3,421,655

BOX FOR RECEIVING AND STORING LAYERS OF CARTONS Jan. 14, 1969 Filed April 24, 1967 Q wmv Q9 auxmflpay S w -.T+L F1 NWQPFE? N 83% v hrazzvm United States Patent 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A large box-like container for the reception therein and subsequent removal therefrom of a plurality of layers of facial-tissue cartons, each layer containing a plurality of horizontal rows of cartons oriented in side-byside juxtaposition. The bottom of the container is vertically movable and has a shingled-appearing surface defined by parallel rows of offset steps, the upper surface of each step starting from a location below the uppermost edge of the preceding step and having a slight upward slope in the direction in which cartons are displaced in loading the container so as to preclude interference between cartons of one layer with those of another as one layer of cartons slides over another layer thereof which is already being supported by the bottom.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to storage boxes or containers; and, more especially, to boxes or containers which have particular facility for receiving and storing relatively rigid and essentially fixed-dimension articles such as paperboard cartons of facial tissue. Although specific reference is made hereinafter to use of the box of the present invention in storing cartons of facial tissue, it is to be understood that the invention also is useful in storing other articles.

In certain instances, it is desirable to provide for temporary storage of articles between processing steps involving the same. One such instance has been occasioned by the present practice of many retail outlets of ordering cases of facial tissue in which are packaged cartons containing several different colors of tissue. For example, a case may contain 36 individual cartons including 11 cartons of white tissue, 8 cartons of blue tissue, 7 of yellow, 6 of green, and 4 of pink. From the manufacturers standpoint it is practical to produce tissue of only one color at a time. In other words, the tissue manufacturer loads parent or supply rolls of tissue of a first color and then forms and cartons the tissue of this first color until the supply rolls are depleted before changing to a second color. Because such supply rolls may accommodate a continuous period of production of from six to eight hours, for example, it is desirable to provide means for temporarily but conveniently storing cartons of each color until the requisite number of colors have been cartoned so that the ordered mixture of colors may then be packaged in cases for purchase by the retailer.

Inasmuch as present machinery forms and cartons tissue in a rapid manner, it is desirable to have facility for receiving the large-volume discharge of cartons from the forming and cartoning apparatus with a very minimum, if any, of interruption in the forming and cartoning operation. In this respect, the emphasis in many lines of manufacture is on ever-increasing production rates and where the product being made must be handled on a unit-by-unit basis, as with facial tissue cartons for example, such increasing rates require either machinery capable of high-speed operation or machinery capable of processing such units several at a time. In many cases Patented Jan. 14, 1969 the latter alternative is preferable because of structural and mechanical simplifications permitted in slower operating machinery.

Summary It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved box or container which is capable of receiving a plurality of articles at a time; and which box has structure facilitating receipt of articles layer-bylayer by movement of one layer over the top of another layer, each such layer comprising a plurality of articles.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a box is provided for receiving articles, a layer at a time, each of which articles has substantially planar top and bottom surfaces, by slideably advancing each layer over the top surfaces of the articles in a preceding layer or, in the case of the first such layer, by slideably advancing the same over the bottom wall of the box. Such bottom wall is provided with an upper surface which has a plurality of parallel rows of offset steps therealong, the rearward end of each step (front to rear being referenced to the direction of movement of the articles onto the bottom wall) being located above the forward end of the next adjacent step. The top surface of each layer supported by the bottom wall, either directly or indirectly through another layer, thereby having enforced thereon the stepped configuration of the upper surface of the bottom wall of the box.

This arrangement precludes the leading bottom edge portions of the cartons in any layer being advanced over a preceding layer from being interfered with by abutment with the trailing top edge portions of cartons in such preceding layer which otherwise is a likely occurrence because of variations in the dimension of cartons (especially the depth or height thereof) permitted by manufacturing tolerances. Thus, boxes embodying the present invention lend themselves to group processing of articles such as facial tissue cartons by enabling the same to be readily loaded into, and subsequently removed from, a box layer-by-layer.

Brief description of the drawing While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out the subject matter of the present invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a box facial tissue production line including the station at which cartons are loaded into the box of the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating the advancement of cartons into the box.

General description First referring to FIGURE 1, it is seen that cartons 10 of facial tissue are advanced from a tissue forming and cartoning apparatus 11 (which may be of conventional construction) along a conveyor 12 to a cartonaccumulating table 13. The cartons each have the form of a rectangular parallelepiped and are substantially identical in construction to each other, although there may be very slight differences in certain dimensions (such as in the depth) occasioned by permissible manufacturing tolerances.

When the leading carton 10 in a first row .16 thereof being advanced onto the table 13 reaches an abutment 14 along one side of the table, the entire first row is caused to be displaced by a suitable pusher means 15 horizontally along the surface of the table a distance equal to the distance between the front and rear walls of the carton to provide space for receipt of the next successive row. Any suitable pusher means 15 of conventional construction capable of performing the movements indicated may be used, and for a specific example thereof reference may be made to copending patent application, Ser. No. 633,157, filed Apr. 24, 1967.

Another row 17 of cartons is then advanced onto the table 13 immediately behind the first row and in parallel relation therewith, and when the leading carton in such next row reaches the abutment 14, this second row is also displaced by the pusher 15 the same distance that the first row was displaced thereby. Displacement of the second row also, of course, displaces the first row farther along the top surface of the table 13. The above described accumulation of successive rows on the table .13 continues until a desired number of rows (six such rows 16 through 21, being illustrated in the present instance) have been accumulated n the table.

Thereafter, the entire six rows are displaced as a unit or layer from the table 13 and into alignment with the box 22 for receipt therein. The same pusher means 15 used to accumulate the cartons row-by-row on the table 13 may be used to advance the entire six rows into alignment with the box (requiring, of course, a greater path of travel of the pusher for this latter operation than for the previously-described operation), or another suit-able pusher may be provided to advance the several rows into the box.

Reference should now also be made to FIGURE 2 which illustrates the structural details of the box or container 22 of the present invention which facilitates reception therein of cartons layer-by-layer from the table 13. The box 22 includes opposed or facing front and rear walls 23 and 24 and opposed or facing side walls 25 and 26, each of the walls having a substantially smooth inner surface and together defining a compartment therewithin. A bottom wall 27 is provided for the compartment and is freely movable therewithin between a lower bottom-forming position and an upper carton-receiving position adjacent the upper edges of the front, rear and side walls of the box. The bottom 27 is retained and supported at its lowermost position by engagement thereof with inwardly directed flanges 28 along the bottom edges of the front, rear and side walls.

In order to effect the aforementioned vertical movement to the bottom wall 27, suitable linkage arms 29 and 30 act against an elevator plate 31 which receives and supports the bottom wall thereon. The particular means for actuating the arms 29 and 30 to raise and lower the plate 31 and bottom wall 27 form no part of the present invention, and it is to be understood that any suitable actuating means, such as hydraulic or electrical motors, may be used, and for a specific instance reference may be made to the aforementioned patent application, Ser. No. 633,157, filed Apr. 24, 1967. Inasmuch as the position of the table 13 is vertically fixed, the vertical movement of the bottom wall 27 is necessary in order to permit the displacement of successive layers of cartons, one On top of the other, from the table .13.

The upper surface of the bottom wall 27 is provided with the aforementioned stepped configuration which is visually depicted in FIGURE 2. There it is seen, that the configuration of the bottom wall is such that a plurality of rows 32 through 37 of offset steps is provided and that they are oriented with respect to each other in shingle-like disposition. The upper surface of each step (i.e., the entire step) extends longitudinally between the opposed side walls 25 and 26 of the box 22; and the upper surface of the first step 32 extends transversely or rearwardly from a forward lower edge 32a adjacent the front wall 23 of the box with a slight upward inclination to a rear upper edge 32b. The distance between the two edges 32:: and 32b is slightly less than the length of the individual cartons 10 to be received within the box in order to assure that the cartons occupy a proper positionrelative to each other when placed therein. The

upper surface of each of the steps 33 through 36 is analogously inclined but is dimensioned to approximate the length of the individual cartons 10 and, in succession, such steps 33 through 36 incline upwardly from a forward lowermost edge (33a36a, respectively), which is lower than the uppermost rearward edge of the immediately preceding step (except for the step 32 which has no step preceding it), to an upper rear edge (33b-36b, respectively).

The vertical distance between the upper rear edge, such as 3%, of one step and the lower front edge, such as 33a, of the next adjacent step is preferably less than the depth of the cartons 10 to be received on the steps. The transverse dimension of each of the steps 32 through 36 approximates 'but is slightly less than the length of the cartons 10, as seen in FIGURE 2. The last step 37 is somewhat ditferent than the others and starts from an edge 37a which is lower than the uppermost edge 36b of the preceding step 36, but this step 37 does not have an incline along its upper surface, and the transverse dimension thereof approximates but is slightly greater than the length of the cartons 10. It should be observed that the transverse widths of the shorter step 32 and longer step 37 together approximate the combined length of two cartons 10 so that there will be no significant length of unsupported carton extending beyond the rear terminal edge 37b of the step 37. The forward edge 32a of the first step 32 therefore provides the front edge for the bottom wall 27 of the box, and the rearward edge 37b of the last step 37 therefore provides the rear edge for the bottom wall 27.

The top or upper edge of the rear wall 24 of the box has an integral flange 38 of inverted U-shaped configuration (considered with the wall) which includes an outwardly directed base portion 39 and a downwardly directed leg portion 40. The top upper edge of the front wall 23 of the box also has an integral flange 41 of U-shaped configuration (also considered with the wall) which includes an outwardly directed base portion 42 and an upwardly directed leg portion 43. These flanges 38 and 41 define connectors that permit the rear wall 24 of one box to be coupled to the front wall 23 of another box by inserting the depending leg portion 40 of the connector flange 38 of one box into the channel defined between the upper part of the front wall 23 and upwardy extending leg portion 43 of the connector flange 41 of another box. Such coupling or interconnection of boxes 22 is useful for subsequent handling of filled boxes, but since such subsequent handling forms no part of the present invention, no further reference is made thereto, although for details thereof reference may be made to copending patent application, Ser. No. 633,157, filed Apr. 24, 1967.

A guide member 44 separate from the box 22 occupies a position thereabove in substantial alignment with the rear wall 24 thereof when the box is in a loation to be loaded with cartons from the table 13. This guide member includes a depending rear wall 45 which is spaced slightly above the rear wall 24 of the box and forms, in effect, a continuation of the inner surface of the rear wall 24 of the box. The guide member 44 provides a guiding function for each ayer of cartons 10 as the layer is initially displaced into alignment with the box and as each layer is lowered to a position within the confines of the walls of the box itself.

Considering a loading cycle of a box 22, after an initially empty box has been placed in the position shown relative to the accumulation table 13 and guide member 44, the bottom wall 27 of the box is raised to a position at which the edges of the bottom wall are slightly above the top edges of the front, rear and side walls of the box 22 so as to effectively align the upper surface of the bottom wall with the table 13. Now, assuming six rows of cartons 1t) defining a layer thereof have been accumulated on the table 13, the pusher element 15 is actuated (from left to 27 of the box. Then, the bottom wall 27 is lowered one step by a distance corresponding to the depth of the cartons to bring the upper surface of the prior layer of cartons into effective alignment with the table 13. After anohter six layer-defining rows of cartons have been accumulated on the table 13, these six rows are advanced as a layer over the top suface of the preceding layer of cartons supported at this time upon the bottom wall 27. This procedure is continued repetitively until the box is loaded.

FIGURE 2, in solid lines, illustrates three layers of cartons having been received in the box 22 with a fourth layer about to be displaced onto the preceding third layer as shown by broken lines. It may be noted that each layer of cartons is displaced by the pusher toward the right to a location slightly beyond the positon of the underlying layers (compare the broken-line position of the fourth layer with the underlying layers) and is then displaced slightly in the opposite direction by the guide member 44 (either because of its inclination or because it is movable, see the aforementioned application, Ser. No. 633,157, filed Apr. 24, 1967) to bring each carton into abutment with the lower rear edge of any preceding carton, thereby establishing a condition of proper vertical alignment as between the various superposed cartons in succeeding layers thereof supported upon the botom wall 27 of the box. The described operation continues until the bottom wall of the box finally occupies its lowermost bottom-forming position (dotted line showing of FIGURE 2), and the box has, by this time, been filled completely with cartons 10.

As an aid to further understanding an outstanding feature of the present invention, it will be appreciated that even if any particular carton happens to be slightly greater in depth than an adjacent carton (say, for example, the carton denoted 10a in FIGURE 2 relative to the next adjacent carton 10b), the stepped upper surface of the bottom wall 27 and of each layer of cartons supported thereon will cause the upper trailing edge of such greaterdepth carton 10a to be located below the upper front edge of the carton 10b immediately adjacent thereto. Therefore, cartons in the next successive layer can slide freely over such carton 10a where if there were no stepped surface on the bottom wall 27, the upper rear edge of the greater-depth carton 10a would extend vertically above the upper leading edge of carton 10b which would cause the lower bottom edge of the leading carton (denoted 10c in FIGURE 2) in the next layer being advanced from the table 13 to abut the upper rear edge of carton 10a; thereby quite likely, resulting in constrainment which would cause buckling in the layer being advanced or in the preceding layer, buckling or other damage to one or more of the cartons, jamming of the apparatus, or some other disruption in the operation or damage to the carton products or apparatus processing the same. Any such occurrence would require attention by an operator and would result in a consequent slowing down in or cessation of the processing operation.

From all of the foregoing, it is evident that the container or box 22 of the present invention is especially suited for use in conjunction with high-speed manufacturing operations since it enables large numbers of articles all at the same time to be loaded into the box in a simple mechanical maneuver in which such large number of articles are slidably displaced as a unit or layer laterally from a stationary platform or table 13 onto the bottom wall 27 of such box, or onto a prior layer of articles supported thereon. In the specific terms of the box or container considered in detail herein and of the exemplary articles to be received therein, such articles are essentially fixed-dimension articles that are relatively rigid or inflexible, such as cartons of facial tissue.

These cartons are accumulated onto the table 13 to form a layer composed of a plurality of successive groups of cartons disposed in substantially parallel juxtaposition. Each such layer of cartons accumulated on the table 13 are slid therealong laterally as a unit onto either the bottom wall 27 of the container 22 or onto a preceding layer of cartons already supported on such bottom wall. As previously explained, the stepped configuration of the bottom wall 27 and of the layers of cartons supported thereon enables each successive layer of cartons to slide over the upper surface of a preceding layer thereof without danger of abutment between a carton in such successive layer with a protruding edge or corner portion of a carton in a preceding layer in the event that any particular carton therein may be irregular in dimension and have a height greater than the heights of adjacent cartons or in the event that an accurately dimensioned carton is not seatedquite properly owing to any irregularity in the dimensions of an underlying carton, or for any other reason.

Further, the transverse dimension or aggregate width of the steps 32 through 37 accommodates variation in the lengths of the cartons 10 and enables any particular carton to seat firmly upon its associated step irrespective of whether such carton is slightly greater or less than the proper length assigned thereto. Such accommodation is attributable to the transverse dimension of the first step 32 which, in being less than the corresponding dimension of the cartons 10, causes all of the cartons supported thereon to project freely beyond its rearward edge 32b; wherefore the various cartons in any first layer thereof supported directly upon the bottom wall 27 engage each other and not the risers (the vertical edges, such as the edge 33a, 3212, between successive steps) between adjacent steps. As concerns each successive layer of cartons, the angular disposition of all of the cartons (resulting from the incline of the steps) which places the upper leading edge of each carton forwardly, to the left as viewed in FIGURE 2, of its lower leading edge, enables accommodation in length variaton in the same manner as explained with respect to the steps.

In the aforementioned layer-by-layer loading of each box or carton 22, the position of the bottom 27 thereof is related to the position of the table 13 so that any layer of cartons accumulated thereon can be displaced bodily onto and along the bottom 27 or onto and along the upper surface of a preceding layer supported thereon. Such positioning necessitates the requirement for relative movement as between the table 13 and bottom 27, which relative movement is accommodated with respect to the particular box being considered by movement of the bottom wall 27 with respect to the stationary table 13.

Considering a specific example of a box 22 for illustrative purposes, a box having the features and characteristics described for use in storing cartons of facial tissue is dimensioned exteriorly as follows: length67% inches outside, 63% inches inside; width64 /z inches outside, 60 /2 inches inside; height-48 inches outside, 45 inches inside. The box is constructed of steel and can receive therein 972 cartons of facial tissue arranged in nine successive layers each comprised of six longitudinally extending rows of eighteen cartons. Each such carton has a weight of just under one pound and is approximately 9% inches in length, 4 inches wide, and 3% inches high. In such box, each of the steps 33 through 36 is approximately 9% inches in transverse dimension along the inclined surface thereof between its forward and rearward edges, the step 32 is about one inch shorter, and the step 37 is about one inch longer. Since a transverse grouping limited to six cartons extends across the bottom wall of such box, the step 32 being about one inch shorter than the assigned length of the cartons is adequate to accommodate variations in carton lengths even if any such variations occur in each carton and are all in the same direction because the manufacturing tolerances in the transverse dimension (9% inches) for the exemplary carton being discussed is plus or minus of an inch-well under the one-inch accommodation.

While the foregoing specification has set forth an embodiment of the invention in considerable detail for purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A box for receiving articles, such as cartons of facial tissue, layer-by-layer from a layer-accumulating table upon which successive pluralities of articles are accumulated into successive layers thereof each of which includes a plurality of longitudinally extending rows of articles oriented in side-by-side juxtaposition, said box defining an article-receiving compartment therewithin and comprising: a plurality of upwardly extending walls; a bottom wall for said compartment having transversely spaced and longitudinally extending front and rear edges and being adapted to have articles advanced layer-bylayer into supported relation therewith by displacement of each such layer transversely from such table in a direction from the front edge of said bottom wall toward said rear edge thereof, said bottom wall being provided along the upper surface thereof with a plurality of longitudinally extending rows of offset steps deposed in transverse succession between said front and rear edges for respective receipt of such rows of articles thereon and each of said steps having transversely spaced and longi tudinally extending forward and rearward edges, the forward edge of each of said steps being disposed a predetermined distance below the rearward edge of the adjacent preceding step, and said steps being dimensioned transversely such that the top surface of each layer of articles supported thereby conforms generally to the configuration of the upper surface of said bottom wall of the box; said bottom wall being freely movable within said compartment along said upwardly extending walls between a lower bottom-forming position and an upper position adjacent the top edge of said upwardly extending walls, said bottom wall at said upper position having unobstructed access to receive slidingly over the top surface thereof a layer of articles moved in a horizontal direction from the accumulating table to permit each successive layer of articles accumulated on such table to be aligned with said box for displacement into the aforesaid supported relation with said bottom wall thereof.

2. The box as set forth in claim 1 wherein the upper surface of each of a plurality of said steps inclines u-pwardly from the forward edge toward the rearward edge thereof.

3. The box as set forth in claim 1 wherein the distance between the forward edge of each step and the rearward edge of the adjacent preceding step is less than the corresponding dimension of such artcles.

4. The box as set forth in claim 1 wherein the aforesaid front and rear edges of said bottom wall are substantially parallel, and wherein the forward and rearward edges of each said step are substantially parallel to said front and rear edges.

5. The box as set forth in claim 1 wherein said box further comprises support elements adjacent the bottom edges of said upwardly extending walls to support said bottom wall in the bottom-forming position thereof; wherein the lower forward edge of each step and the upper rearward edge of the adjacent preceding step are in substantial alignment one above the other with the distance therebetween being less than the corresponding dimension of such articles; and wherein the first step in the aforesaid transverse succession of steps has a transverse dimension slightly less than the corresponding dimension of such articles, the last step in such transverse succession has a transverse dimension slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of such articles, and each of the other of said steps has a transverse dimension substantially equal to the corresponding dimension of such articles, the average value of the sum of the transverse dimensions of said first and last steps and the transverse dimension of each of the other steps being substantially equal.

6. The box as set forth in claim 5 wherein the upper surface of said last step is substantially parallel to the center plane of said bottom wall, and wherein the upper surface of each of the other of said steps is substantially planar and inclines upwardly from the forward edge toward the rearward edge thereof.

7. A box for receiving articles, such as cartons of facial tissue, layer-by-layer from a layer-accumulating table upon which successive pluralities of articles are accumulated into successive layers thereof each of which includes a plurality of longitudinally extending rows of articles oriented in side-by-side juxtaposition, said box defining an article-receiving compartment therewithin and comprising: a plurality of upwardly extending walls; a bottom wall for said compartment having transversely spaced and longitudinally extending front and rear edges and being adapted to have articles advanced layer-bylayer into supported relation therewith by displacement of each such layer transversely from such table in a direction from the front edge of said bottom wall toward said rear edge thereof, said bottom wall being provided along the upper surface thereof with a plurality of longitudinally extending rows of offset steps deposed in transverse succession between said front and rear edges for respective receipt of such rows of articles thereon, each of said steps having transversely spaced and longitudinally extending forward and rearward edges, the forward edge of each of said steps being disposed a predetermined distance below the rearward edge of the adjacent preceding step, and one of said steps having a transverse dimension slightly less than the corresponding dimension of such articles, and other of said steps having a transverse dimension substantially equal to the corresponding dimension of such articles; said bottom wall and such accumulating table being relatively movable with respect to each other to permit each successive layer of articles accumulated on such table to be aligned with said box for displacement into the aforesaid supported relation with said bottom wall thereof.

8. The box as set forth in claim 7 wherein still another of said steps has a transverse dimension slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of such articles.

9. The box as set forth in claim 8 wherein said one step and another step comprise the first and last step in the aforesaid transverse succession of steps, and wherein the transverse dimensions of said one and another step aggregate the approximate corresponding dimensions of two such articles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,103,241 12/1937 Bell 206-45 2,665,808 1/1954 McAlister 206-73 2,808,148 10/1957 Kerney 20645.13 XR 3,091,503 5/1963 Fisher 22093 XR 3,198,350 8/1965 Molins et al 2146 RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

